NRL: School principal Mark Harrop connects with Ngahinapouri students over NZ Warriors upset win over Penrith Panthers

Just another normal Monday morning at Waikato's Ngahinapouri School... principal Mark Harrop is delivering a passionate sermon on resilience, NZ Warriors-style.

Since it was posted on social media, Harrop's enthusiastic celebration of the Warriors' 22-20 shock win over three-time NRL champions Penrith Panthers has gone viral on both sides of the Tasman.

"No Shaun Johnson, no RTS," he lamented. "Captain Tohu Harris out with a broken finger.

"Inexperienced young players stepped up. They never gave up, they played with heart."

Harrop has told AM, if he knew the address would attract so much attention, he might have spent more time scripting it.

"Basically, that's what we do at our school," he said. "At our assemblies, we always look to connect with our kids and talk about what they love.

"I do that all the time, so for someone to post that on Tik Tok and for it to go bananas was quite weird. It's been a weird couple of days, but awesome, because it's a way to connect with your kids and get your message out.

"It took me by surprise, because it's just something that we do - my job as a principal is to connect with our kids.

"Having seen it so many times on social media, I thought I could have done a better job on that."

Harrop has been a diebard Warriors fan since day one, so his students are well used to that fanaticism spilling over into their assemblies.

"Last year, that 'Up the Wahs' movement really gripped the kids and everybody just jumped on the train," he said. "Being able to talk to them about that was awesome, because it helped me share something I'm passionate about to show them it's OK to be passionate about things and get excited.

"This year, it wasn't so much an 'Up the Wahs' movement, it was more of a 'Wah happened?' movement, but they turned it around and we could really celebrate that together."

Harrop believes the inspirational performance from a makeshift team without many of its stars will prove the turning point in a season that has been blighted by a five-game winless slump - the worst under coach Andrew Webster.

"I think back to last year and that game against the Sharks," he said. "It was raining, we went into the sheds at halftime well behind... they came out, they fought, they overcame all the obstacles and they won the game.

"Shaun Johnson, I think that was the birth of 'Up the Wahs' in his post-game comments and from that moment on... " Harrop's hand traces the upward trajectory of a season that ended in the preliminary final. 

"This weekend gone at Magic Round was that moment for us - it's the turning point. Get back on the bus, anyone that's jumped off, because the Wahs are about to hit their straps.

"Those young fellas are going to step things up - that's my two cents worth."

Join Newshub at 6pm Sunday for live updates of the Warriors v Dolphins NRL clash

Just another normal Monday morning at Waikato's Ngahinapouri School... principal Mark Harrop is delivering a passionate sermon on resilience, NZ Warriors-style.

Since it was posted on social media, Harrop's enthusiastic celebration of the Warriors' 22-20 shock win over three-time NRL champions Penrith Panthers has gone viral on both sides of the Tasman.

"No Shaun Johnson, no RTS," he lamented. "Captain Tohu Harris out with a broken finger.

"Inexperienced young players stepped up. They never gave up, they played with heart."

Harrop has told AM, if he knew the address would attract so much attention, he might have spent more time scripting it.

"Basically, that's what we do at our school," he said. "At our assemblies, we always look to connect with our kids and talk about what they love.

"I do that all the time, so for someone to post that on Tik Tok and for it to go bananas was quite weird. It's been a weird couple of days, but awesome, because it's a way to connect with your kids and get your message out.

"It took me by surprise, because it's just something that we do - my job as a principal is to connect with our kids.

"Having seen it so many times on social media, I thought I could have done a better job on that."

Harrop has been a diebard Warriors fan since day one, so his students are well used to that fanaticism spilling over into their assemblies.

"Last year, that 'Up the Wahs' movement really gripped the kids and everybody just jumped on the train," he said. "Being able to talk to them about that was awesome, because it helped me share something I'm passionate about to show them it's OK to be passionate about things and get excited.

"This year, it wasn't so much an 'Up the Wahs' movement, it was more of a 'Wah happened?' movement, but they turned it around and we could really celebrate that together."

Harrop believes the inspirational performance from a makeshift team without many of its stars will prove the turning point in a season that has been blighted by a five-game winless slump - the worst under coach Andrew Webster.

"I think back to last year and that game against the Sharks," he said. "It was raining, we went into the sheds at halftime well behind... they came out, they fought, they overcame all the obstacles and they won the game.

"Shaun Johnson, I think that was the birth of 'Up the Wahs' in his post-game comments and from that moment on... " Harrop's hand traces the upward trajectory of a season that ended in the preliminary final. 

"This weekend gone at Magic Round was that moment for us - it's the turning point. Get back on the bus, anyone that's jumped off, because the Wahs are about to hit their straps.

"Those young fellas are going to step things up - that's my two cents worth."

Join Newshub at 6pm Sunday for live updates of the Warriors v Dolphins NRL clash

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